When Meloetta suddenly descended upon the Pikachu Cup Finals and "took control" of You, it initially caused a tremendous panic throughout the stadium.
However...
With nothing more than a single song...
Meloetta not only calmed the terrified audience, but also completely changed how the vast majority of spectators viewed it.
To be honest...
Chen Mo had no doubt that countless people had been thinking the same thing at the time.
"A Pokémon that sings this beautifully can't possibly be evil. There must have been a reason it controlled You."
From a factual standpoint...
There was nothing wrong with that line of thinking.
But viewed objectively...
It was downright terrifying.
With Meloetta's abilities, if it ever used its full power...
It could probably gather an enormous following in the human world in an incredibly short time.
It wouldn't even be impossible for it to overturn the entire world.
Because of that...
The authorities had classified Meloetta as a top-priority protected Legendary.
And now...
That heavenly singing voice—replayed countless billions of times and still unforgettable—once again echoed throughout the room.
At the same time...
Something quietly began to change.
"Garch!"
Gible excitedly pointed at the glowing, dark-purple crystal.
Awakened by Meloetta's song...
The Cocoon of Slumber suddenly became like a starving child.
In the blink of an eye...
It completely drained the energy from a single comet fragment.
Seeing that speed...
After spending so long watching it lazily absorb energy at a snail's pace—so slowly that Gible had often wished it could help absorb the energy itself—
The little shark nearly jumped with excitement.
As the considerate big brother...
Pikachu calmly patted Gible on the shoulder.
"Pika pika~"
"Don't get too excited~"
Pikachu naturally understood what the little shark was thinking.
Back before Gible had even hatched...
Among everyone except Absol...
The Pokémon most looking forward to Gible's birth had probably been Pikachu.
After all...
Once Gible arrived...
Pikachu would finally stop being the youngest member of the family.
After spending so long as the little brother...
Pikachu wanted to experience being the dependable big brother for once.
However...
Pikachu looked sympathetically at the little shark, who was still bubbling over with anticipation.
The poor little guy still hadn't figured out Jirachi's situation.
He genuinely believed the Cocoon of Slumber was simply a Pokémon Egg...
So he still thought Jirachi hadn't been born yet.
But if one went by Jirachi's actual age...
Gible was still the youngest in the household.
In fact...
Including even Marshadow...
Every Pokémon present was probably younger than Jirachi.
Sleeping for a thousand years...
That was simply too long.
Soon...
The first twenty or so comet fragments placed beside the Cocoon of Slumber had all been completely drained.
Although Manaphy was still in the room...
Chen Mo no longer had the luxury of worrying about anything else.
He continuously exchanged fresh comet fragments through the System.
"Mana..."
Manaphy silently watched everything unfold.
But inwardly...
It was anything but calm.
Ever since sensing Jirachi's presence...
Manaphy had secretly followed Chen Mo's group.
From the very beginning...
It had noticed Chen Mo casually producing piles of comet fragments out of nowhere.
To put it bluntly...
The shock it felt then was no less than—
In fact, even greater than—
The shock of discovering Marshadow hiding within Chen Mo's shadow.
It was the bewilderment one felt before something completely beyond one's understanding.
Unlike Marshadow...
Who until now had lived almost entirely under Ho-Oh and the Legendary Beasts' care...
And unlike the Clefairy that had come from outer space and barely understood humans at all...
Manaphy had known countless humans.
The temple where it currently resided...
Had itself been built by humans devoted to it.
Because of that...
Manaphy knew very well...
Even among the greatest legendary heroes of another world—
Heroes whose names had been celebrated throughout history—
None possessed such an ability.
At that moment...
For perhaps the first time...
Manaphy finally understood why Ho-Oh had been willing to bend the rules just a little...
Leaving Marshadow beside Chen Mo...
Even though he was already the Hero of Ideals.
Quietly...
Manaphy observed the young man standing with his Pokémon, eyes fixed entirely upon the Cocoon of Slumber.
"Just... who exactly is this human?"
It couldn't understand.
The more it observed...
The less it understood.
Meanwhile...
Chen Mo continued adding more comet fragments.
After the original twenty-plus...
He had already added another seventy-seven.
Altogether...
That was nearly an entire week's worth of Jirachi's usual energy intake before entering its slumber.
Finally...
After the number of fragments exceeded one hundred...
The dark-purple crystal resting upon the bed began trembling slightly.
Its glow pulsed rhythmically.
Then...
Before Chen Mo's eyes...
And to the astonishment of every Pokémon present...
The Cocoon of Slumber slowly floated into the air.
Hovering directly overhead, Gengar jumped in fright.
Its short arms and legs flailed as though swimming through water.
Its round body hurriedly floated aside...
Making room for the ascending cocoon.
"Geh!"
Breathing a sigh of relief...
Gengar turned back—
Only to discover that the Cocoon of Slumber was no longer absorbing the comet fragments one at a time.
Instead...
It was drawing energy from every remaining fragment simultaneously.
In the blink of an eye...
Every fragment on the bed had been completely emptied.
Before anyone could react...
The Cocoon of Slumber erupted with dazzling light.
Instinctively...
Chen Mo narrowed his eyes against the brilliance.
Through the radiance...
He vaguely saw the dark-purple crystal gradually dissolve away.
From within emerged a tiny yellow figure...
Shaped like a little star...
Stretching its petite body inside the light.
"Jira..."
A gentle cry rang out.
The Legendary Pokémon representing wishes—
Jirachi—
Slowly opened its eyes beneath the gazes of Chen Mo and every Pokémon in the room.
Perhaps because it had slept for far, far too long...
The newly awakened Jirachi still looked slightly dazed.
Its large black eyes darted around nervously.
"...Where..."
"...am I?"
Its telepathic voice instantly echoed inside Chen Mo's mind—
And within the minds of every Pokémon present.
Pikachu glanced toward the little shark beside him.
Only moments ago...
Gible had been overflowing with excitement about Jirachi's awakening.
But now that Jirachi had actually awakened...
The little shark had suddenly become timid.
Pikachu understood perfectly.
It wasn't that Gible was afraid of Jirachi.
Nor did he dislike it.
This was simply Gible's personality.
Outside of battle...
He always became rather shy around unfamiliar Pokémon.
And moments like this...
Were exactly when a dependable big brother had to step up.
"Pika pika~"
Pikachu clenched his tiny paws.
With a determined expression...
He repeatedly pumped his fists, encouraging Gible onward.
Finally...
Bolstered by his friend's encouragement...
The little shark clenched his own tiny fists.
Under everyone's encouraging gaze...
He slowly walked forward.
Looking up at the nervous little star floating in midair...
He called out—
"Garch!"
Faced with Gible's hopeful expression...
Jirachi froze for a brief moment.
Then...
It unconsciously floated backward.
In that instant...
It was as though lightning had struck Gible.
Or as though he had suddenly been dropped into the frozen wasteland he hated most...
Frozen solid into an ice sculpture.
His body stiffened completely...
Before he slowly toppled backward.
"PIKA!!!"
"GEH!!!"
Pikachu and Gengar were horrified.
The two Pokémon immediately rushed over...
Shaking the little shark frantically as though trying to call his departing soul back into his body.
Even Absol looked worried.
Just as Absol prepared to step forward...
Chen Mo quietly reached out a hand.
Seeing Absol's puzzled expression...
He gently shook his head.
Then subtly gestured upward.
Only then did Absol notice...
Jirachi, floating in the air...
Was covering its tiny mouth with both hands...
Trying desperately not to laugh.
But eventually...
It couldn't hold it in anymore.
Jirachi burst into laughter.
Pikachu and Gengar, who had been "rescuing" Gible...
Instantly froze.
With perfect synchronization...
The two slowly turned their heads.
Like terrifying villains straight out of a horror movie.
"N-No..."
Under the intense stares of the two Pokémon...
Jirachi instinctively floated backward.
But...
Gengar moved with astonishing speed.
In the blink of an eye...
It had already appeared behind Jirachi.
Wearing the most devilish grin imaginable—
"Heh heh heh..."
It grabbed Jirachi.
"Nooooo!!"
Realizing Gengar intended to drag it in front of Pikachu and the collapsed Gible...
Watching the distance rapidly shrink...
Jirachi began wildly flailing its tiny arms.
Just then—
Chen Mo sighed helplessly.
"That's enough."
"Jirachi only just woke up."
"If you two don't want it holding today's events against you forever..."
"You'd better stop now."
"Geh..."
Under Chen Mo's threatening gaze...
Gengar reluctantly released Jirachi.
Looking utterly disappointed...
It floated off to one side.
"You all..."
Jirachi looked utterly confused.
Clearly...
It still hadn't figured out what was happening.
At that moment...
Pikachu completely dropped his earlier "villainous" act.
Instead...
He smiled brightly.
Swinging his long, crackling tail toward Jirachi.
"Pika pika~"
Among Pikachu...
Touching tails and exchanging electricity was their natural greeting.
By wagging his glowing tail...
Pikachu was expressing his goodwill.
Clearly...
Jirachi understood.
Not only that...
As it looked around...
It realized every Pokémon in the room was watching it with friendly eyes.
Then...
It suddenly remembered Gible.
The little shark hadn't been trying to do anything scary.
He'd simply been saying hello.
It had only looked awkward because he was so nervous.
"Pika Pikachu~"
"I'm Pikachu~"
Pikachu cheerfully waved.
"Geh!"
"You can call me Teacher Gengar!"
Gengar folded his arms.
Putting on an exaggeratedly cool pose...
As if declaring he'd protect the newcomer from now on.
After introducing themselves...
The two exchanged a glance.
Immediately dividing up the work.
Gengar helped the dazed Gible back onto his feet.
While Pikachu continued the introductions.
"Pika pika."
"This is Gible.
He's the youngest member of our family.
Ever since the day we first found you...
He's been waiting for you to wake up."
"Pikachu... Gengar... and Gible..."
Jirachi softly repeated each of their names.
Looking at the now-conscious Gible...
Its earlier timidity gradually faded.
Then...
It took the initiative.
"My name is Jirachi~"
The atmosphere immediately became warm and harmonious.
One after another...
The Pokémon in the room introduced themselves.
Even Marshadow—
Who usually preferred staying out of Chen Mo's family affairs—
Simply stated its own name.
Soon...
It was Chen Mo's turn.
But before he could speak...
Jirachi tilted its head in confusion.
It slowly circled above Chen Mo several times.
Its expression suggested it was trying to confirm something.
Marshadow sighed.
"Release your Aura."
"Hm?"
Chen Mo blinked.
Then instinctively followed Marshadow's advice.
The moment his Aura spread outward—
Jirachi's eyes lit up with overwhelming joy.
It began circling Chen Mo excitedly.
Unable to contain its happiness.
"Lord Chen Mo..."
Manaphy smiled warmly.
"It seems..."
"Even before awakening..."
"Jirachi had already remembered you."
Looking at the little star hovering before him...
Chen Mo hesitated briefly.
Then slowly extended his right hand.
Jirachi seemed to understand.
It made no attempt to avoid him.
"...So soft."
Chen Mo gently rubbed Jirachi's star-shaped head.
Its body felt incredibly soft beneath his palm.
Watching Jirachi narrow its eyes in obvious enjoyment...
Chen Mo smiled.
"My name is Chen Mo."
"It's nice to finally meet you, Jirachi."
"Chen Mo..."
"Chen Mo..."
"Chen Mo!"
Jirachi repeated the name over and over.
Growing louder each time.
Its delight became increasingly obvious.
"I've finally met you, Chen Mo!"
"Jirachi is so happy~"
"Super happy~"
As it spoke...
Jirachi flew from Chen Mo's palm.
Circling above his head.
Tiny starlike particles drifted from the ribbon-like streamers extending from its body...
Gently falling onto Chen Mo.
From across the room...
Manaphy clearly sensed it.
The aura belonging to the Dragon of Ideals that had long rested upon Chen Mo...
Had suddenly begun stirring restlessly.
Fortunately...
Zekrom itself wasn't here.
There was nothing it could do to stop what was happening.
As for Chen Mo...
As Jirachi continued its actions...
He suddenly felt an indescribable connection form between himself...
And the little star above his head.
"...Jirachi."
"Chen Mo~"
After bestowing its blessing...
Jirachi slowly floated back down...
Stopping directly before him.
"Chen Mo!"
"I'm Jirachi!"
"The Jirachi who can grant any wish~"
"So, Chen Mo..."
"No matter what your wish is..."
"Jirachi will definitely make it come true!"
"So..."
"Tell Jirachi your wish~"
Looking into Jirachi's eager eyes...
For a brief moment...
Chen Mo had the distinct feeling...
That something about this situation...
Wasn't quite right.
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